Body Image + Body Love + Health Pt. 1

Pt. 1 - Body Image 
What is it, and where does it come from? 

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Our body image is the way we think and feel about the way we look. Our body image is shaped by our environment and our personalities. 
Our close family and friends have a profound affect on this. 
As children we are much more likely to mimic what they do. Children pick up on body dissatisfaction, dieting, and body dysmorphic actions more often than verbal comments. 
When parents say, “you are beautiful just the way you are” and then constantly restrict their diet, or pinch their fat, or hide in their clothes, their actions will be so loud the children will never truly hear what they say. 

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Our body image can effect our perception of worthiness, intelligence, and the health of our relationships. 

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While our image is deeply rooted in the beliefs we created as youths, and a constant flood of polished photos and impossible beauty standards we CAN change our body image in adulthood. 

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Action Item:
❤️ Lean into the fact that you are beautifully and wonderfully made. You are on purpose. You are deeply loved. You are not a mistake. You were created to be uniquely you. There is someone much bigger than you on your side, and you are never alone. You are a gift. 

❤️ Adopt a consistent affirmation practice. Spend time everyday loving and affirming yourself, and yes, even the parts of you you’re at war with, ESPECIALLY the parts of you you’re at war with. Thoughts lead to emotions, emotions lead to actions, and actions lead to habit. 

❤️ When negative thoughts come up about your body image, pause and blast those thoughts with the truth, even if you don’t believe it yet. 

❤️ Get around people with positive body image.

❤️ Most people struggle in some sense with body image. Don’t let the feeling of shame keep you from healing. Tap into your resources (God + Counselor + Coach + Friends + Family). This is bigger than you. There is healing in community. 

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Ultimately our experiences shape our past, but as Brené Brown says, when we own our story we get to write the ending. 

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Stay tuned for Pt. 2